People Australia

Frederick Victor (Fred) Gregory (1879-1927) coalmine worker and trade union official 

Birth: 17 August 1879 at Sydney, New South Wales, son of native-born parents Frederick William Gregory (1854-1921), cook, and Catherine, née Cox (1829-1889). Marriage: 24 December 1906 at Lithgow, NSW, to Janet Russell Gibson Allen (1885-1951), born at Lithgow. They had two daughters and two sons. Death: 21 November 1927 at his residence at Lithgow. Religion: Presbyterian. 

• Commenced his working life as a newsboy, working in brickworks, coke works, railway lines and coal mining in NSW, Queensland, Tasmania and New Zealand. Was employed in the coal industry on the south and north coasts of NSW.
• Worked as a miner in the Wallsend, district, Newcastle, then moved to Lithgow in about 1906. First worked in the rail mills at the steelworks, but later entered the mines.
• With Anthony Luchetti and Edward Truscott played prominent part in consolidating authority of Australasian Coal & Shale Workers' Association in Western District, NSW after its formation in 1909. Was treasurer of the western branch of the association for five years then was elected secretary and held the post for fifteen years, until his death.
• President, Coal Miners' Mutual Protective Association of the Western District to 1912 and was secretary from 1912 until his death. Represented Western union at inaugural meeting of Central Council of Australasian Coal & Shale Employees' Federation, Sydney, July 1915.
• Fractured his arm in September 1925, hindering his candidature for the selection ballot for the seat of Macquarie.
• A keen advocate of co-operation, he had been president, treasurer and board of management member of the Lithgow Co-operative Society. Was also treasurer of the Lithgow Hospital and a leading official of the 8-Hour committee in the Hartley district.
• Was in bad health for more than a year, and on sick leave for some weeks, collapsed at a meeting of the co-operative society and died a few hours later; cause of death: cerebral haemorrhage and arteriosclerosis. His funeral was reputedly the largest then seen in Lithgow.
• ALP secretary, Sid Bird, was a lifelong friend and A. Teece an acquaintance for more than twenty years.

Sources
Edgar Ross, A history of the Miners' Federation of Australia ([Sydney] 1970); Australian Worker (Sydney), 30 November 1927, p 1.